Lamp door clamp arrangement



Oct. 25, c, A, MICHEL LAMP DOOR CLAMP ARRANGEMENT Filed Dec. 25. 192 2 Shee ts-Sheet 1 abhomqo Oct. 25, 1932. c, A, I HEL 1,884,076

LAMP DOOR CLAMP ARRANGEMENT Filed Dec. 25. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ammqf Patented Got. 25, 1932 shill) STATES PATENT FFEQE CLARENCE A. MICHEL, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO GUIDE LAMP CORPORATION, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF DELAW'ABE LAMP DOOR CLAMP ARRANGEMENT Application filed December 2-3, 1929.

the construction of the securing means, em-

ploying therein relatively few parts which are so constructed and associated as to insure a positive and accurate adjustment in clamping the lens and reflector to the body portion of the lamp and wherein assembly and disassembly is facilitated.

With this object in view the invention consists essentially in constructing the body portion of the lamp with a seat at its outer edge for a reflector provided with a gasket or packing ring with which the lens or glass door engages, and in securing the lens and reflector in predetermined relation to each other and to the body portion by means of a divided clampin ring adapted to interlock with the body portion and engage the lens with a camming action to draw the lens tight ly against the reflector gasket, and the reflector firmly to the body portion.

The invention consists also in certain details of construction such as the provision of interengaging positioning means on the lens, reflector and body portion, and the provision of spring clips to hold the lens and reflector to the body portion when the clamping ring is not in place to facilitate assembly and disassembly. These, among other details, will be fully described hereinafter.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification 1 have illustrated several modifications that my invention may assume in actual practice, but it will be understood that such are merely a few instances of many changes which may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a headlight lamp assembly with parts in elevation.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional View of the clamping means and associated elements in Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a somewhat diagrammatic face View of Figure 1.

Serial No. 416,057.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of Figure 2 with the clamping ring broken away.

Figures 5, 6, and T are detail sectional views corresponding to Figure 2 of changes in details of construction.

Referring first to Figures 1 to a, inclusive, the lamp body 1 and the reflector 2, may, for their greater part, assume any desired shape or form. The front end of the body is formed with an annular groove 3 and an inturned flange 4;, with which engages the bottom wall of an annular groove 5 formed in an outturned flange on the front end of the reflector 2. T i groove 5 receives the gasket or packing ring 6 to afford a mounting for the circular lens 7. In addition to the engagement of the reflector with the body, such parts are preferably provided with relative positioning means such as are shown in F igures 5, 6, and 7, and will be described in connection therewith hereafter.

To secure the lens against the reflector gasket and the reflector to the lamp body, I employ a divided sheet metal clamping ring 8, which is adapted to be contracted by any suitable means such as the lugs and screw at the ends thereof, designated generally at 9. The inner side of the clamping ring is provided with an annular flange 10 engaging in the groove 3 in the lamp body and the outer side is curved as at 11 to engage the outer face of the lens.

The rim of the lens is enlarged as compared to the central light transmitting or diffusing portion thereof, and such enlarged rim is formed with an outer annular convexly curved face 12 which is engaged by the curved portion of the clamping ring. By reason of this engagement between the lens and clamping ring it will be apparent that by contracting the ring a camming action is exerted to force the lens tightly against the gasket and firmly secure the lens and reflector to the lamp body, sealing the joint therebetween, which camming action is aiforded by the sliding of the curved cam surface on the clamping ring over the curved cam surface on the lens.

To position the lens on the reflector, an annular flange 13 extends rearwardly from the lens rim to engage the outer wall of the reflector groove 5. This flange 13 is preferably notched to receive a lug ll on the reflector to prevent relative rotation between the lens and reflector and position the same circumferentially which is particularly desirable when the lens is formed with special diffusing surfaces necessitating a fixed relation to the lamp axis. In lieu of the notched flange 13, the lens rim may be provided with projecting portions or lugs for interengagement with one or more lugs on the reflector.

In addition to the above described clamping means, I employ preferably what might be termed a supplemental holding means which is adapted to hold the lens and reflector in assembled position with the lamp body prior to application of the clamping ring during assembly or after removal thereof during disassembly. This supplemental holding means comprises a plurality of spring clips 15 suitably spaced around the periphery of the lens as indicated in Figure 3. Each spring clip 15 is a substantially U-shaped wire with an off et intermediate portion 16 and diverging bent ends 17, which is positioned as shown particularly in ures 2 and 1. The bent ends 17 extend through openings inthe lamp body and contact therewith at spaced points on the groove 3 and flange 4., and the intermediate offset portion 16 is sprung over the lens rim engaging in a notch 18 in the curved front face thereof. If desired this notch 18 may be formed in alinement with the notch in the flange 13 and connected therewith by a groove in the periphery of the lens rim, as shown, to facilitate circumferential positioning of the lens and spring clip.

Referring now to Figure 5, the primary features thereof are similar to those disclosed in Figures 1 tolinclusive and described herev above, with modifications in the cooperating positioning means and the form of spring clip. The lamp body is provided with an annular flange provided with an offset portion 20 forming an angular seat within which is received a similarly formed flange 21 on the reflector. A portion of said reflector flange extends outwardly as at 22 to engage within a notch 23 in lens rim flan e Q-l, which latter flange serves to position the gasket 25 in contact with a flat seat on the end of the reflector. The spring clip 26 is in the form of a flat spring having one end secured to the lamp body by a screw 27 and the other end turned inwardly and spr ng over the lens rim. It is to be noted that in this form the extent of the curved cam surfaces on the lens rim and the clamping ring are reduced as compared to corresponding surfaces in the form shown in Figure 2, and that the enlarged rim of the lens joins the main face portion thereof in a bevel surface. 7

In Figure 6 is shown a further modification in the form of positioning means and spring clip. The offset flange 28 on the lamp body engages the gasket receiving groove 29 on the reflector, and said groove is provided with portions bent therefrom, as at 30 and 31, to engage, respectively, in an opening in the lamp body flange 28 and in a notch in the lens flange 32. The spring wire clip 33 is provided with a portion sprung into a notch in the lens rim and portions engaging the lamp body, which engagement is afforded by passing the ends of the clip through a slot r slots 34L in the lamp body with the ends turned back and engaging one end of the slots as shown, whereby the clip will be retained in position with respect to the lamp body on removal of the lens.

Figure 7 illustrates a detail of construction which is applicable to any of the forms described heretofore.

In this figure, the general structure is sim lar with respect to the positioning elements e that shown in Figure 5, employing an offset engagement 20 and 21 between the lamp body and reflector, and a lug and notch clement 22 and 23 between the reflector a" .o. lens. The spring clip 33 is, in general fo n, similar to that shown in Figure 6, being modified only in relative dimensions to cooperate properly with the form of the poig elements. In this figure, as in the preceding figures, the clamping ring does not enclose or cover the entire outer surface of the enlarged rim of the lens, and for this reason, the gasket interposed between the lens a d reflector would be visible through those portions of the lens rim and adjacent surface not covered by the clamping ring, which would be unsightly. I overcome. this objection by stippling, silvering or otherwise treating the surface of the lens that overlies the gasket, as indicated generally at Instead of treating this surface of the lens, the gasket could be suitably painted or a metal strip interposed between the gasket and lens to conceal the gasket.

PH or M From the foregoing it will be seen that a structure has been designed wherein the lens and reflector may be readily assembled with the lamp body in proper relative positions, and as so assembled may be held in place by a supplemental holding means prior to applica n of the clamping member. The

A g member comprises a divided clamping ring which engages with the lamp body and the lens in such a. manner that when contracted it exerts a camming action to draw the lens tightly againstthe reflector gasket and secure the lens and reflector firmly to the lamp body forming an effective seal for the joint to exclude dirt and dust from the inerior of the reflector and lamp body. The cannning action is obtained without the use of intermediate elements by the form given the engaging surfaces of the lens and clamping ring. The supplemental holding means comprises spring clips, various forms of which have been disclosed, engaging with the lamp body and adapted to be sprung over the lens rim during assembly thereof. A means has also been provided to conceal unsightly parts such as would otherwise be visible through portions of the lens not covered by the clamping ring.

It is to be noted that the engaging camming surfaces on the lens and clamping ring are curved which assures a better camming and clamping action than if they were beveled or angularly formed. The use of curved surfaces adds to the rigidity of the lens and clamping ring furnishing a large surface contact and a positive camming action which is distributed over all portions of the contact ing surfaces and which may be increased by extending the clamping leg or edge of the ring over practically the entire convexly surfaced lens rim. This large surface contact furthermore provides a better seal than could be obtained with an angular or line contact.

In actual practice of the invention, I have found that an effective method of concealing the gasket consists in providing the portion of the lens surface which contacts with the gasket with a plurality of concentric grooves 36 and in spraying the gasket, preferably of cork, with aluminum duco, to thereby render this portion of the lens substantially totally reflecting.

I claim:

1. In a lamp, the combination with the lamp body, of a reflector positioned thereon, a gasket seated on said reflector, and a lens engaging said gasket, said lens being provided with an enlarged annular rim portion having its outer face curved and its inner face flanged, notches in said flange, means on the reflector engaged in said notches to position the lens with respect thereto, notches in said curved face, means carried by the lamp body engaged in said notches adapted to hold the lens and reflector in assembled position to the body, and a means engaging said curved face and body for securing the lens and reflector thereto.

2. In a lamp, the combination with the lamp body, of a lens adapted to be secured thereto, an annular groove in said body, an annular convex rim on said lens, and a divided sheet metal clamping ring having its inner edge flanged to engage in said groove and its outer edge transversely curved to engage said convex rim with means to contract said ring to exert a camming action on said lens and secure the same to the body and seal the joint therebetween.

3. I11 a lamp, the combination with the lamp body, of a lens, a gasket interposed be tween said lens and body, an enlarged rim on said lens having an outer convex surface, a clamping ring covering a portion of said surface and securing the lens to the body in contact with the gasket, and means on the portion of the lens contacting with the gasket to conceal the gasket from view through that portion of the rim surface which is not covered by the clamping ring.

l. In a lamp, the combination with the lamp body, of a reflector therein, a lens engaging said reflector, a clamping means for securing said lens and reflector to said body, and supplemental means for holding said lens and reflector to said body in assembled relation when said clamping means is removed, comprising substantially U-shaped spring clips, each having an intermediate portion engaging the lens and end portions engaging the lamp body with spring contact.

5. In a lamp the combination of a lamp body, a lens and aclamping ring to secure the lens to the body, said lens having an annular enlarged rim portion provided with a transversely curved cam surface, said ring being provided at its rear with means to fixedly engage the lamp body and at its front with a surface of substantially the same transverse curvature as the cam surface of the lens rim portion and clamping'ly engaging the major portion of said cam surface to secure the same to the body and seal the joint therebet-ween.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

CLARENCE A. MICHEL. 

